Winding control means

ABSTRACT

The present control means is associated with a high speed winding machine and operates to gradually move the center of the traverse stroke in one direction along the takeup packages so that the successive coils or layers of yarn form a filling-type wind. A speed reduction drive rotates a traverse control cam through one-half revolution during the winding of the packages, and a half gear repositions the traverse control cam upon completion of the winding of one set of yarn packages.

United States Patent inventor Bobby R. Fain Burlington, N.C. Appl. No. 859,636 Filed Sept. 22, 1969 Patented Sept. 14, 1971 Assignee Alamance lndustrieslnc.

Burlington, NC.

WINDING CONTROL MEANS 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 242/32, 242/355 R, 242/43 Int. Cl B65h 54/14 Field of Search 242/32, 27, 28, 30, 31,18,18 DD, 35.5, 43, 26.1, 26.2, 26,3, 26.4

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,301,699 11/1942 l-lelland 242/355 2,577,131 12/1951 Keight 242/26.4 2,629,559 2/1953 Ayala 242/26.4 3,243,131 3/1966 Greive 242/263 Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Attorney-Parrott, Bell, Seltzer, Park & Gibson ABSTRACT: The present control means is associated with a high speed winding machine and operates to gradually move the center of the traverse stroke in one direction along the takeup packages so that the successive coils or layers of yarn form a filling-type wind. A speed reduction drive rotates a traverse control cam through one-half revolution during the winding of the packages, and a half gear repositions the traverse control cam upon completion of the winding of one set of yarn packages.

PATENTEDSEPMIBYI 3.604.644

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SHEET 3 BF 3 INVENTORZ BoBBYTZ/w FAN ATTORNEYS WINDING CONTROL MEANS This winding control device is particularly adapted for use with high speed winders of the type provided with a plurality of spaced-apart winding stations extending along opposite sides of the winding machine frame with the takeup cores supported for rotation about a horizontal axis and a traversing rod extending along each side of the machine for guiding the yarns onto the package cores.

Winders of this general type are well known and include a traverse stroke control cam which continuously rotates during the winding of each set of yarn packages so that relatively long layers or laps are formed on the center of the traverse stroke gradually progresses back and forth along the package many times. This type of wind produces tapers at opposite ends of the packages and, when the yarn is withdrawn over one end of the package, the yarn is periodically withdrawn from the tapered portion at the distal end so that it must pass over the enlarged central portion and a greater degree of drag or tension is required than when the yarn is being withdrawn from the central portion or the tapered portion at the other end.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide winding control means which may be easily and economically applied to existing winders or incorporated in new winders and which operates to gradually move the center of the traverse stroke in one direction along the takeup packages so that successive layers of yarn form a filling-type wind and the yarn may be subsequently withdrawn over one end with a substantially even and uniform tension.

In accordance with this object, the winding control means includes speed reduction drive means for rotating the traverse stroke control cam at a very slow rate so that the control cam is moved one-half revolution during the winding of each set of yarn packages. A half-gear drive is provided to rapidly rotate the control cam and to reposition it in the start position when the winding of each set of packages is completed.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a side elevation of one end portion of the winder with the covers of the drive housing removed therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a traverse vertical sectional view through the drive housing, being taken substantially along the line 2-2 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the opposite side of the end portion of the winder from that shown in FIG. 1, with portions of the supporting frame of the drive housing broken away;

FIG. 4 is a somewhat schematic isometric view of the winder drive and illustrating the drive for the traverse rod on one side of the winder; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view through a wound yarn package illustrating the manner in which the successive layers of yarn are gradually moved from one end of the bobbin to the other, in accordance with the present invention.

The wind formed on the takeup package in accordance with the present invention will be described as a filling type wind since the successive layers or laps of yarn gradually move along the package in one direction only. However, the layers of yarn are longer than the usual filling wind and similar in length to the layers of a warp wind. For this reason, a package of the type shown in FIG. 5 is often referred to as a combination wind. The wind formed in accordance with the present invention is especially useful in winding packages of fine denier synthetic yarns which are for subsequent use as the supply packages for high speed circular hosiery knitting machines where it is extremely important that the yarn be easily withdrawn with a uniform tension.

The winding control means of the present invention is disclosed in connection with a winder of the type manufactured and sold by Fletcher Industries, Southern Pines, North Carolina. The conventional parts of this winder will first be described and then the present winding control means will be described in connection therewith.

A drive housing is positioned at one end of the winding frame and includes east end frames 10, 11 which are maintained in spaced-apart relationship by vertical side frames l2, l3 and horizontally disposed support shelves l4, l5 and 16 (FIG. 2). Spaced bearing plates 17 and 18 are fixed on the end frame 11 and extend inwardly therefrom. Support rails 20, 20' are fixed at one end to the end frame 11 and extend along opposite sides of the winder to support a plurality of vertically disposed yam supply bobbins or packages 22, 22. Since opposite sides of the winder are identical, only one side will be described in detail and the corresponding parts of the other side will bear the same reference characters with the prime notation added.

Headless takeup bobbins or pirns 24, 24' (FIGS. 1 and 3) are releasably supported in suitable support brackets for surface engagement with driving rolls, not shown, at each winding station. The pim support brackets are of substantially the same type as that shown in the patent to Walter W. Egee U.S. Pat. No. 2,650,035. Yarn guides eyes 26, 26' are supported at each winding station and on corresponding traverse rods or bars 28, 28.

The traverse rods 28, 28' are resiliently urged away from the end frame 11 by suitable spring means, not shown, and are connected at their ends to the ends of respective flexible operating links, in the form of sprocket chains 30, 30'. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sprocket chain 30 passes over a sprocket 35, supported for vertical adjustment in the upper end of a traverse rod actuating lever 36. The lower end of the traverse rod actuating lever 36 is pivotally supported on a stub shaft 37, which is in turn supported on a bracket 38, supported for vertical adjustment on the side frame 13. A support slide 40 is suitably connected to a medial portion of the lever 36 and slides along a guide rod 41, opposite ends of which are fixed on the end frame members 10, 11.

The chain 30 is provided with a length-adjusting turnbuckle 42 and extends downwardly and around a sprocket 43 which is supported in a bracket 44 on the lower end of the side frame 13. The chain 30 then engages a sprocket 45 supported on the bracket 44 and its upper end is connected to the outer end of a traverse stroke control lever 47. A cam roller 48 is supported in a medial portion of the lever 47 and rides on the peripheral surface of a stroke control cam 50 which is fixed on one end of a drive shaft 51. The inner end of the lever 47 is pivotally supported on one end of a shaft 52.

A cam roller 55 (FIG. 4) is provided on the inner surface of the medial portion of the lever 36 and rides on the peripheral surface of a heart-shaped traverse rod actuating cam 60 which is fixed on one end of a drive shaft 61. A worm gear 62 is fixed on the shaft 61 and is rotated by a worm 63 which is fixed on a shaft 64. A gear 65 is fixed on the shaft 64 and is drivingly engaged by a drive pinion 66, fixed on one end of a shaft 67.

The other end of the shaft 67 is fixed to a gear 68 which is drivingly engaged by mating gears 70, 71. The gears 70, 71 are fixed on the end portions of bobbin drive roll shafts 72, 73 which impart rotation to the takeup pirns 24, 24' at opposite sides of the machine frame. A gear 74 (FIG. 4) engages the gear 71 and is fixed on one end of a drive shaft 75. A drive sprocket 76 is fixed on the other end of the shaft 75 and is drivingly connected to a sprocket 78 by a sprocket chain 77.

The sprocket 78 is drivingly connected to a pulley 80 by a shaft 81 and a belt 82 drivingly connects the pulley 80 to a pulley 83 which is fixed on the output shaft 84 of a main drive motor 85. Bevel gears 90, 91 (FIG. 4) drivingly connect the shaft 61 with the upper end of a vertical shaft 92 having a worm 93 fixed on its lower end. A worm gear 94 is rotated by the worm 93 and, in the conventional machine, is normally fixed on the shaft 51 so that continuous rotation is imparted to the traverse stroke control cam 50, at a reduced rate, relative to the rotational speed of the actuating cam 60.

With this conventional drive, the actuating cam 60 imparts back and forth motion to the upper end of the lever 36 to thereby impart a traverse stroke of a given length to the chain 30 and the traverse rod 28, depending upon the radial difference between the high and low points of the heart-shaped cam 60, and the vertical adjustment of the lever 36. As continuous rotation is also imparted to the traverse stroke control cam 50, the lever 47 is repeatedly raised and lowered so that the center of the traverse stroke is gradually moved back and forth along the pirn 24, first progressively moving toward one end of the pirn and then back toward the opposite end and forming a takeup package having tapered opposed ends. Since each half of the control cam 50 is the same, the center of the traverse stroke gradually moves the same distance in each direction and moves back and forth many times during the winding of a package.

As has been heretofore pointed out, it is difficult to maintain uniform tension on a yarn as it is withdrawn over one end of a package wound in this manner because the yarn is periodically withdrawn from the lower tapered portion of the package and is drawn over the enlarged central portion, thereby providing a greater drag or tension than that provided when the yarn is withdrawn from the enlarged central portion or from the upper tapered end. In accordance with the present invention, the traverse stroke control cam 50 makes only onehalf revolution during the winding of a complete package so that the center of the traverse stroke of the yarn guide 26 moves in only one direction along the pirn 24 during the winding of the package.

A sprocket 99 (FIG. 4) is fixed on the shaft 61 and is drivingly connected to a sprocket 100 by a sprocket chain 101. The sprocket 100 is fixed on and drives the shaft 52 and a gear 102 which is fixed on the shaft 52. The gear 102 is aligned with and at times engages the teeth of a half gear 103 which is fixed on the shaft 51 and fixed to a sprocket 104. A sprocket chain 105 drivingly connects the sprocket 104 and a sprocket 106 which is rotatably supported on a reduced portion 107a of an output shaft 107 of a gear reduction unit 108.

A one-way clutch 109 is provided by clutch teeth on one sideof the hub of the sprocket 106 and corresponding clutch teeth on the output shaft 107 of the unit 108. A compression spring 110 surrounds the reduced portion 107a and normally maintains the clutch teeth in driving engagement so that a driving connection is provided between the output shaft 107 and the sprocket 106. A sprocket 112 is fixed on the input shaft of the gear reduction unit 108 and is drivingly connected to a sprocket 113 by a sprocket chain 114. The sprocket 113 is drivingly connected to the worm gear 94 and both the sprocket 113 and worm gear 94 are rotatably supported on the shaft 51.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, speed reduction drive means is connected between the machine drive and the stroke control cam 50 so that it is rotated at a very slow rate, relative to the rotational rate of the actuating cam 60. The gear reduction unit 108 reduces the rotational speed between the input shaft and the output shaft by a 200 to 1 ratio so that only one-half of the stroke control cam 50 is utilized during the winding of each set of takeup packages.

Assuming that the winding operation starts with the roller 48 of lever 47 on the high point of the control cam 50, the chain 30 is moved to its extreme left-hand position in FIG. 3, and to the left-hand end of a zone a extending between the dash-dot lines. As the actuating cam 60 rotates at a fairly fast rate, the lever 36 will bemoved back and forth to thereby move the traversing rod 28 and the guide eye 26. As the winding operation continues, the stroke control cam 50 will slowly rotate in a clockwise direction in FIGS. 3 and 4 so that the lever 47 is gradually lowered during the winding of successive layers and so that the center of the stroke of guide eye 26 gradually moves along toward the other end of the takeup pirn 24 until the low point of the control cam 50 is reached. The guide eye 26 is then traversing a zone b, adjacent the other end of the pirn and between the dash-dot lines.

During this winding operation, as the control cam 50 is slowly rotating from the high to low positions, the half gear 103 is out of engagement with the teeth of the gear 102 so that rotation of the gear 102 will not affect the position of the control cam 50. However, as the shaft 51 slowly rotates, the teeth of the half gear 103 will come into engagement with the teeth of the gear 102, at the completion of the winding operation and when the pirn is filled. The halfgear 103 and shaft 51 will then rapidly rotate one-half revolution, until the teeth at the trailing edge of the half gear 103 move out of engagement with the teeth of the gear 102 to thereby reposition the control cam 50 where the cam roller 48 is positioned at the high point and the lever 47 is raised to its highest position, thereby moving the traversing rod 28 and the eye 26 into position to again traverse the zone a.

The one-way clutch connection between the output shaft 107 of the gear reduction unit 108 and the sprocket 106 permits the fast rotation of the shaft 51 when the half gear 103 engages the full gear 102. As soon as the teeth of the half gear 103 move out of engagement with the gear 102, the shaft 51 is then again driven in a very slow manner by the speed or gear reduction unit 108.

Detecting means is provided to indicate the completion of the winding of a set of pirns, so that the operator may remove the ri filled pirns and replace them with empty pirns. The detecting means includes a control pin 120 (FIG. 4) fixed at its inner end on the chain 30 and its outer end is aligned with a switch 121 which is suitably supported on the shelf 14. Thus, when the control cam 50 is rotated by the half gear 103 to bring it back to its starting position with the roller 48 on the high point, the chain 30 is moved to its extreme left-hand position when the high point of the cam 60 engages the roller 55 of the lever 36. The control pin 120 then moves into engagement with the detector switch 121. The switch 121 may form a part of a stop-motion circuit connected to the motor to thereby stop operation of the winding frame upon completion of the winding of a set of pirns. In this case, a time-delay relay may be provided in the stop-motion circuit to permit the winding frame to be started with the control pin in engagement with the switch'121, after the operator has removed the filled pirns to start another winding operation. The tie time delay relay will be effective to override the switch 121 until the area of movement of the chain 30 and the traversing rod 28 has shifted to the right a sufficient distance that the pin 120 will not engage the switch 121.

If desired, the detector switch 121 may be connected to a signal light. In this case, the light will operate when the chain 30 moves to the left-hand end of its stroke, when the winding is completed and the control cam 50 is rotated back to the start position by the half gear 103. The signal light will warn the operator that the winding of the set of pirns is completed and the winding machine will be stopped.

With the winding control means of the present invention, the layers of yarn are wound onto the pirn in the manner schematically illustrated in FIG. 5. As is illustrated in FIG. 5, the first layers of yarn are wound in the area extending between the dash-dot lines of zone a and as successive layers are wound, the traversing center is progressively shifted or moved to the right and along toward the opposite end of the pirn 24, until the length of traverse of the traversing rod 28 and the guide eye 26 extends between the dash-dot lines of zone b, during the winding of the final layers on the pirn. The layers of yarn are then positioned on the pirn 24 in the manner schematically shown in FIG. 5 so that the yarn may be easily withdrawn over the right-hand end of the package and under uniform tension as the layers will be unwound in the reverse order from which they were wound onto the pirn. The yarn is not required to be withdrawn over the enlarged central portion of the yarn package or the left-hand tapered portion so that it is not required to drag over an enlarged portion of the package.

1 claim:

1. In a winding machine for forming yarn packages having opposed tapered ends, said machine including means for drivingly supporting a plurality of spaced-apart headless pirns for rotation about a horizontal axis, a traverse rod supported adjacent said pirns for back-and-forth movement parallel to said pirns, yarn guide means on said traverse rod and adjacent each of said pirns, a traverse rod actuating lever pivotally supported at one end, a flexible link connected at one end to said traverse rod and having a medial portion operatively connected to the other end of said traverse rod actuating lever, an actuating cam operatively associated with said actuating lever, and machine drive means for imparting rotation to said actuating cam at a given rate to impart a certain length of stroke to said yarn guide means, said certain length of stroke being less than the full width of the yarn package, the combination therewith of improved winding control means for controlling the position of the stroke of said yarn guide means during the formation of the yarn packages on said headless pirns, said winding control means comprising a. a traverse control lever pivotally supported at one end and connected at the other end to the other end of said flexible link,

b. a traverse control cam operatively associated with said traverse control lever, said control cam being rotatable to vary the position of said control lever and to change the center of said certain length of stroke of said yarn guide means, and

c. speed reduction drive means connected to said machine drive means and said traverse control cam for rotating the same at a substantially reduced rate relative to rotation of said actuating cam so that said traverse control cam is rotated one-half revolution by said speed reduction drive means whereby the center of said certain length of stroke of said yarn guide means gradually moves in only one direction along said pirns during the winding of the complete yam packages.

2. In a winding machine according to claim 1 wherein said winding control means includes d. means for rapidly rotating said traverse control cam an additional one-half revolution upon completion of the winding of the yarn packages to reposition said traverse control cam for beginning the winding of the next set of yarn packages.

3. In a winding machine according to claim 2 wherein said means (d) comprises 1. a half gear drivingly connected to said traverse control cam and rotated by said speed reduction drive means, and

2. a drive gear aligned with said half gear and rotating in timed relationship to movement of said actuating cam for at times engaging said half gear to rapidly impart a halfrevolution to said traverse control cam.

4. In a winding machine according to claim 3 wherein said speed reduction drive means comprises a gear reduction unit interposed between said machine drive means and being drivingly connected to said half gear, and wherein said means ((1) comprises one-way clutch means interposed between said half gear and said gear reduction unit to permit rapid rotation of said half gear by said drive gear upon engagement therewith.

S.'ln a winding machine according to claim 1 including detector means for indicating the completion of the winding of the yarn packages.

6. In a winding machine according to claim 5 wherein said detector means comprises a switch positioned adjacent said flexible link, and operator means carried by said flexible link and engageable with said switch upon completion of the winding of the yarn packages. 

1. In a winding machine for forming yarn packages having opposed tapered ends, said machine including means for drivingly supporting a plurality of spaced-apart headless pirns for rotation about a horizontal axis, a traverse rod supported adjacent said pirns for back-and-forth movement parallel to said pirns, yarn guide means on said traverse rod and adjacent each of said pirns, a traverse rod actuating lever pivotally supported at one end, a flexible link connected at one end to said traverse rod and having a medial portion operatively connected to the other end of said traverse rod actuating lever, an actuating cam operatively associated with said actuating lever, and machine drive means for imparting rotation to said actuating cam at a given rate to impart a certain length of stroke to said yarn guide means, said certain length of stroke being less than the full width of the yarn package, the combination therewith of improved winding control means for controlling the position of the stroke of said yarn guide means during the formation of the yarn packages on said headless pirns, said winding control means comprising a. a traverse control lever pivotally supported at one end and connected at the other end to the other end of said flexible link, b. a traverse control cam operatively associated with said traverse control lever, said control cam being rotatable to vary the position of said control lever and to change the center of said certain length of stroke of said yarn guide means, and c. speed reduction drive means connected to said machine drive means and said traverse control cam for rotating the same at a substantially reduced rate relative to rotation of said actuating cam so that said traverse control cam is rotated onehalf revolution by said speed reduction drive means whereby the center of said certain length of stroke of said yarn guide means gradually moves in only one direction along said pirns during the winding of the complete yarn packages.
 2. In a winding machine according to claim 1 wherein said winding control means includes d. meAns for rapidly rotating said traverse control cam an additional one-half revolution upon completion of the winding of the yarn packages to reposition said traverse control cam for beginning the winding of the next set of yarn packages.
 2. a drive gear aligned with said half gear and rotating in timed relationship to movement of said actuating cam for at times engaging said half gear to rapidly impart a half-revolution to said traverse control cam.
 3. In a winding machine according to claim 2 wherein said means (d) comprises
 4. In a winding machine according to claim 3 wherein said speed reduction drive means comprises a gear reduction unit interposed between said machine drive means and being drivingly connected to said half gear, and wherein said means (d) comprises one-way clutch means interposed between said half gear and said gear reduction unit to permit rapid rotation of said half gear by said drive gear upon engagement therewith.
 5. In a winding machine according to claim 1 including detector means for indicating the completion of the winding of the yarn packages.
 6. In a winding machine according to claim 5 wherein said detector means comprises a switch positioned adjacent said flexible link, and operator means carried by said flexible link and engageable with said switch upon completion of the winding of the yarn packages. 